My name is Alex Bill and I'm a freshman this year in Secondary Education with a concentration in history. I enjoy listening to music with my friends, playing basketball, and anything fun. I decided to become a teacher because I think it's important to be able to help build the future through the students you teach.
Issues in Ed Tech
1. Does technology make a difference in the learning process or could you teach just as well without it?
Yes, because so many students already use technology. It's already a process that they're familar with which helps them to learn new information quicker and easier. They can also communicate through technology making it easier to share ideas.
2. Are students today fundamentally different than students in the past?
Yes. Students today are already introduced to technology before they enter a classroom (cellphone, [[@http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=appleipods|ipods]], laptops, and video games) which was not the case 20 years ago.
Reflection
The Clark article supports my previous thoughts about technology used in the learning process. The experiment with the physics classes using "ThinkerTools" clearly showed that when technology is used appropriately in the classroom it positively correlates with student's learning and comprehension of a subject. Teachers in the today's classroom should have lesson plans incorporating technology but at the same time they shouldn't make it the main focus. After all the technology being used to help teach can often times be more complicated than the subject at hand. Technology should simply be used as a tool to help with learning.
Objectivists
teacher gives notes about a particular subject to students
teacher then poses a question to students
told if answer is correct or not
correct responses are rewarded with positive reinforcement
wrong answers cause the teacher to repeat the process
teacher is because they are in complete control
memorization
students give meaning to the information
Constructivist
student is an active learner
different techniques work differently for each student
student is encouraged to explore question based on previous experience
teacher helps student to find the answer by themselves
mental models
teacher and student work together
each student creates their own meaning to apply to real world scenarios
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxufdpcfpJY
This video clearly demonstrates a constructivists' teaching method. The first teacher shown in the video said she once used mainly lecture and her students were able to pass tests on paper but she believed it was apparent that they were not able to apply it to the real world. This is when she began employing a constructivist technique. The hands on, comprehensive project shown on the video was able to help students achieve a deeper understanding of the material which she wanted. This video reminds me of all three of my ninth grade honors teachers. Each quarter we were assigned a group project (due at the end of the quarter) in which we had to incorporate all three honors subjects (english, history, and science) into a combined presentation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-S54bbX6eA
HAHAHAHHA. This is obviously an objectivist's teaching method. He lectures straight facts and gives straight answers. There is no creativity in his teaching method. His teaching method is reminiscent of my high school teacher Mr. Stober. His class was all lecture and worksheets, no hands on projects or activities.
have time off for teachers so they can attend technology confrences/seminars
faculty meetings devoted to the implementation and use of technology in the classroom
have other (most likely younger) teachers peer teacher others to learn technology faster
1. Civ Revolution
2. Civ Revolution is a role playing game.
3. European exploration and colonization had lasting effects which can be used to understand the Western Hemisphere today.
Issues in Ed Tech
1. Does technology make a difference in the learning process or could you teach just as well without it?
Yes, because so many students already use technology. It's already a process that they're familar with which helps them to learn new information quicker and easier. They can also communicate through technology making it easier to share ideas.
2. Are students today fundamentally different than students in the past?
Yes. Students today are already introduced to technology before they enter a classroom (cellphone, [[@http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=apple ipods|ipods]], laptops, and video games) which was not the case 20 years ago.
http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html
http://education.mit.edu/papers/GamesSimsSocNets_EdArcade.pdf
http://www.maggiehosmcgrane.com/2011/02/students-today-are-different-how-should.html
Reflection
The Clark article supports my previous thoughts about technology used in the learning process. The experiment with the physics classes using "ThinkerTools" clearly showed that when technology is used appropriately in the classroom it positively correlates with student's learning and comprehension of a subject. Teachers in the today's classroom should have lesson plans incorporating technology but at the same time they shouldn't make it the main focus. After all the technology being used to help teach can often times be more complicated than the subject at hand. Technology should simply be used as a tool to help with learning.
Objectivists
Constructivist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxufdpcfpJY
This video clearly demonstrates a constructivists' teaching method. The first teacher shown in the video said she once used mainly lecture and her students were able to pass tests on paper but she believed it was apparent that they were not able to apply it to the real world. This is when she began employing a constructivist technique. The hands on, comprehensive project shown on the video was able to help students achieve a deeper understanding of the material which she wanted. This video reminds me of all three of my ninth grade honors teachers. Each quarter we were assigned a group project (due at the end of the quarter) in which we had to incorporate all three honors subjects (english, history, and science) into a combined presentation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-S54bbX6eA
HAHAHAHHA. This is obviously an objectivist's teaching method. He lectures straight facts and gives straight answers. There is no creativity in his teaching method. His teaching method is reminiscent of my high school teacher Mr. Stober. His class was all lecture and worksheets, no hands on projects or activities.
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1. Civ Revolution
2. Civ Revolution is a role playing game.
3. European exploration and colonization had lasting effects which can be used to understand the Western Hemisphere today.